As a solicitor I have visited a number of retirement villages in the UK, advising the residents on changes to the leases of their properties and supporting them through some very complex and emotional decisions.
Whilst the villages I have visited are very much of the “Thursday Murder Club” kind, delightful surroundings, dedicated and attentive staff and enviable facilities, I wonder whether older people removing themselves from regular contact with younger generations is good for their health or happiness.
Having read the excellent report of the appg on Creating Intergenerational Communities I became very interested in developments which have an intergenerational focus.
Botanical Place, West Byfleet
In April I was delighted to attend The Associated Retirement Community Operators’ event at Retirement Villages Group’s Botanical Place development in West Byfleet. This pioneering development puts the local community at the heart of the building ensuring that communal spaces such as the in-house restaurant, meeting space and gym are available for use by local residents whilst ensuring that the older residents have private access to their flats and can choose when and if to interact with others in the community.
RVG have carefully curated the tenants in the ground floor units in order to support local businesses and to ensure that there is a real community feel to the central square engaging with local residents and groups to ensure that strong local connections and interests are encouraged and supported, including working with the local authority to establish a community library.
The ability of the residents to be able to interact with other generations when they want to, and to have peace, privacy and space when they don’t, seemed to me an excellent way of encouraging intergenerational interaction in a positive but sensitive way.
Marmalade Lane, Cambridge
Marmalade Lane is a thriving community in Cambridge where residents own their homes, either as freehold owners of their houses or through long leases of their flats, and share a wide range of facilities, including gardens, allotments, a community kitchen, meeting spaces, guest rooms and children’s play areas.
Demand is high, with a waiting list for properties and an expectation that residents actively contribute to community life. Shared meals, working groups and monthly maintenance days form the backbone of a model built on cooperation rather than formal rules. Decisions are made collectively, and there are no paid staff; residents contribute according to their skills, experience and available time.
Hannah, a resident who showed us around, described a community where anti-social behaviour is rare and problems are usually resolved through discussion. The greater challenge, she said, is encouraging everyone to contribute rather than to simply enjoy the benefits of communal living.
For children, the appeal is freedom and a ready-made network of friends. For older residents, the rewards are companionship and a strong sense of belonging.
After more than seven years, Marmalade Lane still offers a compelling example of how shared ownership and shared responsibility can create a resilient and connected neighbourhood.
Gilston Park, Hertfordshire
Although building on this development is not due to start until later this year, Gilston Park is set to be a major new garden settlement in East Hertfordshire.
According to the appg report, the project has been designed from the outset to create an intergenerational community, combining private, affordable, retirement and extra care housing within well-connected village centres.
The masterplan integrates schools, healthcare facilities, employment space and community hubs alongside 660 hectares of green infrastructure and a sustainable transport network linking the villages to each other and to Harlow. Specialist older people’s housing is intentionally located close to amenities and village centres to promote visibility, accessibility and everyday interaction with other age groups.
Homes are designed to be adaptable so that the residents can “age in place”. By combining mixed tenure housing, social infrastructure and landscape-led design, Gilston Park aims to embed intergenerational living at the heart of a new settlement rather than treating it as an add-on.
But What Are the Benefits of Intergenerational Communities?
The appg report identified the following benefits:
BENEFITS FOR OLDER PEOPLE
- reduced loneliness and social isolation
- ageing in the ‘right place’ within existing communities
- improved wellbeing and preventative health
BENEFITS FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
- stronger social networks and everyday support
- opportunities for learning, mentoring and shared skills
- improved housing affordability in some typologies
BENEFITS FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE AND FAMILIES
- reducing ageism
- stronger social cohesion and community resilience
- reduced pressure on public services
- creating attractive places people want to move to
What Are the Barriers to Intergenerational Developments?
PLANNING
- The National Planning Policy Framework arguably does not recognise intergenerational living as a distinct model, instead addressing its elements separately. This fragmented approach means proposals are assessed against isolated policies, overlooking their combined social value.
- A planning system focussed on short-term housing numbers disadvantages intergenerational schemes, which prioritise long-term, adaptable communities over immediate delivery targets.
- Planning policy lacks mechanisms to balance wider social benefits, such as wellbeing and cohesion, against affordable housing requirements, creating viability pressures for developers.
- The current policy framework undervalues shared spaces and community infrastructure, as land efficiency metrics favour higher-density housing, limiting schemes that deliver broader social and health outcomes.
FUNDING
Traditional funding methods may not be suitable for mixed use developments and private or government funding or more costly and perhaps less attractive forms of funding may be needed.
Key Takeaways
Whilst I was very impressed with Botanical Place, I hope that more integrated retirement community (IRC) providers, developers and planners will consider the benefits of intergenerational living when planning new projects.
Perhaps the most important takeaway is that people don’t just need places to live, they need places to belong and one size will never fit all. By embracing intergenerational living, working collaboratively across the sector and bringing stakeholders together, IRC providers and developers have an opportunity to move beyond conventional development and in so to create communities defined not just by housing, but by connection, purpose and mutual support, places that can genuinely enhance the quality of life for everyone connected with them.